The Wilting Prophecy
"The Wilting Prophecy" 'is the first episode of ''Fantasyland, the third season, and the 28th episode overall. It was told and narrated by Nutty, premiering on February 25, 2014. In the episode, the happy royal family of Fantasyland is torn apart when the Queen receives a horrible prophecy that her children will die at the same time as the Queen. Desperate attempts to abort this prophecy begin as the King and Queen must make a horrific sacrifice to save their four small children. The Episode The Queen Rose, the King, and their four children were enjoying a traditional Saturday brunch in their banquet hall. The twins were 3 years old. Then there was a 2 year old daughter and a one-year-old son. The six of them lived happily in the magnificent castle. Everyone was happy. Several weeks after the twins turned three, our tale begins. The family was dining in the Banquet Hall. The four children sat at the two tables facing each other. The King and Queen sat at the head. A messenger entered during the second course. He announced the arrival of Christiana and Xander, the King's brother and sister. Christiana and Xander specialized in mild sorcery and psychic fortune telling. They predicted the kingdom's weather and, God forbid, misfortune. But on that sunny day in the Petal Castle's Banquet Hall, Christiana and Xander delivered horrible news. They related a prophecy that just came in from the distant kingdom of Camelot: '' Upon the death of the Queen Rose, the petals of her offspring will wither and die. ''' Doctors analyzed the Queen's health. It was as stable as ever. But the King wanted not to take chances. For if any of the children were to actually die, his heart too would crumble. And so the royals took action. The four children were to be dispersed throughout Fantasyland into the hands of protectors, who would stay with the children until the Queen died. Then, they would return to Petal Castle to resume the throne so that none of the children would have known their mother and none of their hearts can break. The Queen was crestfallen. She was now forced to give the four brightest rays of sunshine in her life away. The King insisted it was for the best. On regular intervals, the King and Queen vowed to visit their children anonymously. The Keepers were close friends of the Royal Family. Five years passed. The King and Queen mourned their loss. They found it hard to live in the large castle alone. Christiana and Xander promised that a loud gong will be rung when the children were to return home. Twelve years passed. The King's health deteriorated. The Queen tried to find her children, but she was advised to stay away for their own safety. Four years passed. The King died of lung disease. The Queen locked herself away and transitioned power to her advisors. Anti-royal sentiment arose. One year passed. A movement formed to overthrow the monarchy. The children were raised in secret. Twenty-three years after the children left their home, the Queen fell ill. She took to her bed. Production Continuity and Story Arcs This episode first introduced the fatal prophecy. It also marked the first appearance of Xander and Christiana, the royal prophets. They would only be referenced once more, making their identities hidden until the penultimate episode, "Gemini". At the end, there were hints about DAWN. References Camelot is mentioned as a distant kingdom. It has never been mentioned again, though there have been mentions of Merlin. Trivia *The original ending to this episode revealed that Petal Castle was the one in which Princess Aurora of ''Sleeping Beauty pricked her finger and fell into her sleep. This was removed following the broadcast. Category:Episodes Category:Fantasyland Episodes Category:Premieres